The advice for a missed POP depends on whether your pill contains desogestrel or not. You can find out if your pill is a desogestrel pill by:

checking the packet

checking the patient information leaflet that comes with the packet

asking a pharmacist

Less than 3 hours late (or less than 12 hours late for a desogestrel pill)

You are still protected against pregnancy if:

you're taking a traditional POP, such as Micronor, Norgeston or Noriday, and you're lessthan 3 hours late taking your pill

you're taking a desogestrel pill, such as Cerazette or Cerelle, and you're less than 12 hours late taking your pill

What you should do:

take the missed pill as soon as you remember

take the next pill at the usual time

you do not need to use extra contraception

if you've had unprotected sex, you do not need emergency contraception

More than three hours late (or more than 12 hours late for a desogestrel pill)

You're notprotected against pregnancy if:

you're taking a traditional POP and you're more than 3 hours late taking your pill

you're taking a desogestrel pill and you're more than 12 hours late taking your pill

What you should do:

take a pill as soon as you remember – only take 1, even if you've missed more than 1 pill

take the next pill at the usual time – this may mean taking 2 pills on the same day (1 when you remember and 1 at the usual time), this is not harmful

carry on taking your remaining pills each day at the usual time

use extra contraception such as condoms for the next two days (48 hours) after you remember to take your missed pill, or do not have sex

if you have unprotected sex during the two days after you miss your pill, you may need emergency contraception – get advice from your GP or contraception clinic

It takes 2 days for the POP to thicken cervical mucus so that sperm cannot get through or survive. The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare advises using extra contraception for 2 days after you remember to take your pill.

The patient information leaflet that comes with your pill might say to use condoms for the next 7 days after you remember to take your pill. This is because it takes 7 days for the pill to stop ovulation.